Travel Agent has already rounded up all of thew news we could find on hotel goings-on in Las Vegas this year. Here, we've found everything you need to know about new concerts, festivals, sporting events and attractions in Las Vegas in 2018.
Concerts
One of Las Vegas’ biggest festivals is Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC). This year three-day festival has been moved from its usual Father’s Day weekend up to May 18 – 20. It remains at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. New this year at EDC is the ability to camp from Thursday, May 17 until Monday, May 22. Guests can opt to rent a luxury ShiftPod2 or they can bring their own tent or RV. Campers will have access to an exclusive entrance to the festival, go-karting, pool parties, “rave aerobics,” yoga, wellness workshops, guest speakers, comedians and more.
In April, Vegas will host the second iteration of the Las Rageous Music Festival, which drew 10,000 rock and metal fans both days in last year’s inaugural event. The two-day festival, held April 20 – 21 this year, will take over two square blocks at the Las Vegas Events Center and will feature artists like A Perfect Circle, Five Finger Death Punch, Ghost, Judas Priest, Underoath and more.
New residencies in Vegas include: Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin at MGM’s Park Theater; The Voice: Neon Dreams at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino; and Earth, Wind & Fire at The Venetian Las Vegas. Starting in late 2018, Lady Gaga will begin a series of 36 shows through all of 2019 and into 2020. Ricky Martin will play 12 shows from March through June. Neon Dreams will include shows by The Voice contestants Alisan Porter, Chris Mann, Mary Sarah, Matthew Schuler and Matt McAndrew; they will be joined by future winners of The Voice and backed by a band led by Michael Sanchez. Also available to guests of Neon Dreams is an exhibition-style lobby where they can record their own demos, view memorabilia and sit in the coaches’ chairs. Earth, Wind & Fire’s limited residency runs from May 2 – 12.
Sports
The biggest news in the Las Vegas sports world is the arrival of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. At the end of 2017, the team broke ground on a 62-acre plot across from the Mandalay Bay Resort. The $1.9 billion stadium will seat 65,000 people when it opens; however, this will be in 2020.
For 2018, the Vegas Golden Knights are enjoying success as one of the top teams in the NHL despite it being their inaugural season. The team plays their home games at the T-Mobile Arena, which is co-owned by AEG and MGM Resorts International. The last home game of the regular season is March 31. The T-Mobile Arena itself hosts between 100 and 150 events each year with seating ranging from 12,000 up to 20,000 depending on the event. Other events this year include Katy Perry, Calibash, WWE, the PAC-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament, Justin Timberlake, U2, P!NK and more.
Also of note is the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars have moved to Las Vegas and were renamed the Las Vegas Aces. They will play 17 home games at the Mandalay Bay Events Center between May and September.
As far as non-live sports events, Jose Canseco, Jim McMahon, Terrell Owens and Jimmy King will host an interactive sports show at Caesars Palace, giving fans an up-close and personal experience of the athletes recounting stories from their playing days. The shows begin January 25.
Attractions
Opening by the end of the year is the Fly LINQ, the first zip line on the Las Vegas Strip, at the LINQ Promenade. There are 10 side-by-side zip lines capable of launching all riders simultaneously. Guests take an elevator up the 122-foot-tall launch tower and ride the zip line for 1,080 feet.
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